Rodriguez, of course, will be merely a bystander as he continues his rehab from January hip surgery. But while the rest of the Yankees have been busy preparing for the regular season during spring training in Tampa, Rodriguez has been rehabbing in New York and Miami.

"I'd like to see him," manager Joe Girardi told the newspaper. "He says his rehab is going well. He feels pretty good. He's doing more and more every week I talk to him."

Girardi added that he isn't sure when A-Rod will be cleared to begin baseball activities but said "he's doing everything he needs to be doing."

Rodriguez isn't expected to rejoin the Yankees' lineup until at least sometime after the All-Star break. And there is a chance that he could miss the entire 2013 season.

Because he is among the highest-profile players in MLB's investigation of the Biogenesis clinic, which has been accused of providing performance-enhancing drugs to professional players, Rodriguez also can expect to be questioned by the league. According to multiple media reports, Rodriguez is one of the league’s prime targets in its investigation.